Weston resident Richard Wiese is a 2-time president of the International Explorers Club. He was host and executive producer of “Born to Explore,” the PBS and ABC-TV series, produced on Westport’s Main Street.
He also had the honor of knowing Jane Goodall — who had strong connections to this area.
Last night, he offered this remembrance of the revered conservationist. She died earlier in the day, at 91.
The world has lost one of its greatest champions for conservation. Dr. Jane Goodall was more than a pioneering primatologist — she was a voice for the planet.
Her research in Tanzania, beginning in the 1960s under the guidance of anthropologist Louis Leakey, forever changed our understanding of chimpanzees. She revealed that they use tools, display emotions, and possess unique personalities. Those discoveries shattered old notions and reminded us that humanity is deeply connected to the natural world.
As global as Jane’s influence was, she was no stranger to our corner of Connecticut. In the 1990s, the Jane Goodall Institute briefly headquartered in Ridgefield. She forged a lasting partnership with Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, which created the Jane Goodall Center for Environmental Excellence in 1995.
For nearly a decade she was a frequent presence on campus, meeting students, dedicating the Jane Goodall Permaculture Garden, and inspiring packed audiences with her message of hope.
Westporters who made the short trip to hear her speak remember the electricity in the room when she entered. She glowed.
Richard Wiese (left) and Dr. Jane Goodall.
In 1993 she was awarded The Explorers Medal by The Explorers Club in New York, one of the highest honors in exploration. She was only the second woman in history to receive it, after Mary Leakey. For many of us in the field, she embodied what it meant to lead with courage, compassion, and authenticity.
Anyone who says “never meet your heroes” never met Jane Goodall. She was warm, funny, and encouraging. I’ve known countless colleagues and students whose lives changed after a simple meeting or note from her.
When one of our members was imprisoned for his conservation work in Iran, Jane wrote him letters of encouragement, lifting his spirits. That was who she was—always giving, always believing in others.
Jane Goodall’s passing is a profound loss. But her legacy is written in the countless conservationists she inspired, the forests and animals she fought to protect, and the communities — right here in Connecticut and across the globe — that she touched with her message of hope.
The world, and Westport too, is better because Jane Goodall walked among us.
Many Staples High School students have interesting summer gigs.
Take Nolan Francis. The rising senior worked at Yale University’s Choate Lab, researching a rare skin condition called ichthyosis, or epidermal differentiation disorder (EDD). It can lead to fatal heart disease, or a significant decline in quality of life.
Recent cuts to the National Institutes of Health have “pushed the possibility of a cure from the near future to a far-fetched aspiration,” Nolan says.
A labmate, 2nd-year medical student Devin Seli, is affected by EDD. Twice a week, he swims with a triathlon group at Compo Beach.
So Nolan, Devin and a few others from the lab decided to raise awareness — and funds.
All donations will go to the Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types, which bridges the financial gap for people with the disorder. FIRST has also awarded millions of dollars in research grants to laboratories.
PS: Here’s a bit more about Nolan, a definite rising star. His work in Staples’ Scientific Research Program earned him 4th place at the state High School Science Symposium. He also received the International Society for In Vitro Biology award at the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair.
He is on Staples’ STEM Journal editorial board, and is the incoming vice president of the Sciene National Honors Society. He’s also an AP Scholar with Distinction, and founded the current iteration of Staples’ National English Honor Society.
He has volunteered at Norwalk Hospital’s Catheterization Lab, and was a counselor at Camp Discovery, for children unable to attend mainstream sleepaway camps due to medical conditions.
He plays violin in the Symphonic Orchestra. He was the first-ever junior to be captain of Staples’ boys swim team. He received the inaugural Junior Leadership Award at the Scholar-Athlete banquet. And he’s been involved with the Westport Weston Family YMCA’s Special Olympics swim program since 2018.
For well over a quarter of that time — 14 years — Hal Shupack served on the board of the non-profit, dedicating to ending homelessness and food insecurity in Fairfield County.
On Friday, the Gillespie Center’s courtyard was named for the longtime Weston resident. A former 1st Selectman, he died in 2020, at 84.
Homes with Hope president and CEO Helen McAlinden said that from her first days “he took me under his wing, showed me around Weston, and taught me everything I know about the town. His knowledge, kindness, and deep-rooted commitment to the community were inspiring, and contagious.
“Hal lived his values every day, whether through his leadership as first selectman, his tireless work on countless boards and committees, or his long-standing dedication to Homes with Hope. His warmth, his wit, and his deep care for people made a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.”
Several dozen guests — including members of Shupack’s family — attended the ceremony.
Since opening last month, Gruel Brittania has become one of Westport’s favorite restaurants.
The Cross Highway parking lot is often full. Occasionally, customers park on nearby Vineyard Lane.
Yesterday, this driver did not want to walk the extra 50 steps. He (or she) planted his (or her) car smack in the middle of the exit:
(Photo/Andrew Bangser)
To be clear: That white vehicle is blocking the exit (and a couple of cars on the right).
That empty space next to it? That’s a legit parking space.
I’m sure the Brits have a better word than we do for “entitled jerk.”
=================================================
Speaking of confusion: Signs have been placed on downtown streets, indicating new parking rules.
On-street limits have been lowered from 3 hours to 2. (They remain 3 hours in downtown parking lots.)
(Photo/Sal Liccione)
There’s just one problem: The sign says enforcement begins at 7 a.m. Notices from the town — and the Board of Selectwomen vote — is for 8 a.m.
“06880” reached out to town officials for clarification. We have not yet heard back.
================================================
Tickets are on sale now Westoberfest.
The 8th annual festival — sponsored by the Westport Downtown Association — rolls into town October 4 (noon to 6 p.m.).
On tap: family activities, craft beers, live music, vendors, food, contests — and a few surprises.
Organized in collaboration with The Grapevine and Castle Wine & Spirits, everyone with access to the beer tasting tent receives a free tasting glass and koozie.
There are several ticket options including with or without admission to the beer tasting tent. Seniors and children 4-12 years old get special rates; children under 4 are free. Click here for details, and to purchase.
For the past 24 years, Westporter Ellen Bowen has joined her brother David Paine’s non profit, 911Day, to honor the victims, heroes and first responders of that tragedy.
It’s a day of remembrance — and service.
What began as a small project — painting a teachers’ lounge in a school in lower Manhattan — has grown to an initiative in 21 cities.
30,000 volunteers pack over 9 million meals– in one day — for food banks and pantries.
This year for the first time, the Meal Pack program comes to Connecticut.
Bridgeport’s Total Mortgage Arena and 9/11 Day seek volunteer teams (6 members and more) from companies and businesses, to 2 spend 2 hours packing meals.
Ellen says, “This is an inspiring and rewarding way to spend a couple of hours giving back — just like we all tried to do on that tragic day 24 years ago.”
Paul Scheulefe is a Boston-area native. He lives there now.
But he spent 25 years in Weston. He commuted to New York; after retiring, he taught English at Brunswick Academy and Fairfield Country Day School. he also coached lacrosse, and founded the Weston Lacrosse Club.
He honed his writing skills at the Westport Writers’ Workshop. He’s just published his first novel, “Damaged Goods.” Set during the financial crisis of 2008, it’s about a high-powered Wall Street trader’s existential crisis after learning he is the custodian of his estranged late sister’s frozen eggs.
Of special interest to “06880” readers (who Scheufele hopes will become “Damaged Goods” readers: The story is set in Westport.
Feedback to his “family drama” book — part of the Ann Patchett/Jodi Picoult genre — has been excellent, he says. Click here to buy.
James Lovell — the commander of the Apollo 13 spacecraft whose return to Earth following a massive explosion as it neared the moon in 1970 captivated the world (and, later, movie audiences in “Apollo 13”) — died Thursday. He was 97.
Richard Wiese — a longtime Weston resident, and president of The Explorers Club — knew Lovell.
He says, “Although Jim stopped traveling to space decades ago, he continued to be an inspiration to people young and old by encouraging their interest in science, and leading by his own example – one must be bold to turn the impossible into reality.
“Captain Lovell’s life and legacy are in keeping with the highest traditions of The Explorers Club. For those of us who knew him, Jim was a humble, down-to-earth friend. Legends aren’t only made in space — sometimes, they’re made in the way they treat people here on Earth.”
James Lovell (left) and Richard Wiese, Explorers Club president.
And finally … in honor of the gorgeous sturgeon moon (photo above):
(A beautiful moon, a beautiful weekend day, a beautiful “06880” online community … we are blessed. Enjoy the first two. And if you enjoy this blog, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
The renowned explorer and science communicator (and Weston resident) has been elected the 46th president of The Explorers Club.
Wiese was executive producer and host of the mult-Emmy Award-winning ABC and PBS program “Born to Explore.”
In 2002 — after a previous election — he was the youngest Explorers Club president in history.
During his tenure he negotiated partnerships with Rolex, Eddie Bauer and later Discovery Networks.
Headquartered in New York, with chapters around the world, the Explorers Club supports scientific expeditions of all disciplines.
Notable club members include Jane Goodall, Walter Cronkite, Theodore Roosevelt, the Apollo 11 crew, and the Mount Everest summit team of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary.
This weekend (January 25 at 7 p.m., January 26 at 3 p.m., Saugatuck Congregational Church), Triple Threat Academy presents “Alice in Webland.”
The new play “takes a timely, kid-friendly tumble into a whimsical but risky world of web temptations.”
Children growing up in the digital age can relate to the show’s characters, and learn valuable lessons about balancing social media and living in the moment.
The show is written and directed by Georgia Wright. The cast of young actors is overseen by Triple Threat founders Cynthia Gibb and Jill Mann.
Tickets are $5 (free for senior citizens). Click here to purchase, and for more information.
Writer-director Georgia Wright (right), and Triple Threat actors.
Melissa Newman — Westport’s own, and one of the most popular Jazz at the Post regulars — returns to the VFW this Thursday (January 23; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner from 7 p.m.).
She’s joined by guitarist Tony Lombardozzi, bassist Phil Bowler and drummer Bobby Leonard. Click here for tickets.
Melissa Newman
================================================
Yesterday’s snow is today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
Claudia Sherwood Servidio captured the seren scene, on Cross Highway.
Posted onAugust 9, 2024|Comments Off on Roundup: Betty Lou Cummings’ 90th, 5 M’s Music, Big Y …
Happy 90th birthday, Betty Lou!
Betty Lou Cummings — former 2nd selectwoman, founder of the long-running Apple Festival, organizer of fundraisers like the Riverwalk and Westport Library River of Names, Senior Center advocate and much, much more — had a landmark birthday last week.
This Sunday, her extended family celebrates the big event.
Here’s to 90 more!
Betty Lou Cummings, and her husband Tom.
=================================================
There’s always something cool going on at the Westport Library.
Here are 2 of the coolest: Weston resident Richard Wiese — president emeritus of New York’s historic Explorers Club, and host of Emmy-winning TV show “Born to Explore,” hosts “A Night at the Explorers Club” (Thursday, August 15, 7 p.m.).
Wiese will be joined by a great lineup of explorers, including Lhakpa Sherpa (record holder for the most Mt. Everest summits by a woman), Dr. Nina Lanza (principal investigator on the Mars Rover’s ChemCam), and astronaut Richard Garriott (Explorers Club president, and a pioneer in private space exploration).
Also appearing: Morad Tahbaz, co-founder of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation; documentary filmmaker Brendan Hall; Rebecca Hui, entrepreneur and founder of cultural preservation company Roots Studio, and artist/writer James Prosek. Click here for more information.
Explorers galore at the Westport Library.
A musical excursion to the 5 M’s — Memphis, Macon, Muscle Shoals, Motown and Miami — that influenced so much of our musical history is set for Sunday, August 18 (2 to 5 p.m.).
Part of Roger Kaufman’s “Speaking of Music” series, it includes the vocal talents of Dennis Collins (Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway), backed by Sharon Collins, Billy Genuario, Stephanie Harrison and T’Zelle Wilson.
Also on stage: the Old School All-Stars band (Bob Cooper, Tim DeHuff, Dave Edwards and Tyger MacNeal), and the Saugatuck Horns (Bob Carlson, Fred Scerbo, and former Rolling Stones sideman Crispin Cioe).
Special guest — local author, bassist and musicologist Brian Torff — will tell stories of his journeys to the 5 M’s. Click here for more information.
Both events are free.
Crispin Cioe
================================================
When will Big Y open?
We’re not sure. Progress has been slow, since the supermarket chain took over vacant space from the abortive Amazon Fresh property (which had been planned to replace the old Barnes & Noble, on Post Road East).
But they’re finally ready to hire. This sign now appears:
(Photo/Bob Weingarten)
================================================
Also opening: Henry Lehr.
Or, we should say, re-opening. Or even, re-re-opening.
A pop-up shop appeared for a couple of weeks. Around Labor Day, a regular store will take over that 66 Post Road East location, next to the (current) Barnes & Nobel, and LoveSac.
It’s a return, of sorts. Henry Lehr was a successful business for many years, on Main Street.
They closed in 2014. There are now several successful stores in the Hamptons.
And — soon — they’ll be back to their Westport roots.
The shuttered Henry Lehr on Main Street. (Photo/Dave Matlow for WestportNow)
=================================================
Retail changes are in the works in Weston too.
According to Weston Today, Josh and Jessica Tolk — owners of Lunch Box, the diner-style restaurant in Weston Center — hope to rebrand it, into a bar and grill.
The 47-year-old spot will continue lunch and dinner service, with expanded days and hours of operation. They also may return to breakfast service in a modified format, and continue takeout and delivery service.
The Tolks also seek approval of a new entrance, facing Weston Road. Click here for the full story.
New Lunch Box: artist’s rendering (Courtesy of Weston Today)
=================================================
“Remi’s Run for Parker’s Cure” is a colorful community event, for a great cause.
The morning of fun, fitness and philanthropy is set for Sunday, August 25 (10 a.m. to noon, PJ Romano Field track).
The color run is part of Remi Rutstein’s bat mitzvah project. It’s dedicated to her cousin Parker, who is battling a rare genetic brain disorder known as HIST1H1E.
Participants — grouped by age — will run or walk around the track, while being splashed with colorful, non-toxic powders. By the end of the run, everyone is a living rainbow.
The fun also includes breakfast from Lyfe Café, a candy truck, sports and games, tattoos, a DJ, and plenty of surprises.
Remi says the event is a way for Westporters to come together and celebrate Parker, raise awareness, and contribute to the search for a cure.
The event is free, but donations are welcome. Click here to register, and for more information and contributions.
Long-time Westport resident — and 1950s country & western artist — Mimi Roman (Mimi Roth) performs this Sunday (August 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 148 East Avenue, Norwalk), at the 6th annual Italian American Police Society Vincent Penna Jr. Car Show. Click here for car show details.
She’ll be joined by Clue & The Honeytones.
The car show raises funds for the Vincent Penna Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund. It awards money to the education of local children.
Penna died suddenly in December 2020 at age 51, leaving behind his wife and teenage sons, plus countless family members, friends, colleagues and fellow officers who admired his passion for his family and community.
Penna was an officer with Westport for 26 years, becoming deputy chief before retiring in 2017.
The event will have hundreds of classic and exotic cars, and thousands of automotive enthusiasts. There is a $20 fee to enter a car; spectators are free.
Besides music, there are raffle prizes, food trucks, trophies and more — including over $40,000 in prizes.
Click here for a video of Mimi singing on the Orleans Hotel & Casino main stage in April — the day after her 90th birthday.
And finally … that 5 M’s Westport Library program, with music from Memphis, Macon, Muscle Shoals, Motown and Miami (story above), seems very cool.
There are squintillions of songs I could pick from those legendary towns. Here’s one, with ties to two.
Otis Redding grew up in Macon, Georgia, and lived there for much of his too-short life.
Wikipedia says: “You Left the Water Running” is a soul music song written by Dan Penn, Rick Hall and Oscar Franks. It has been recorded by Wilson Pickett, Maurice and Mac and most notably by Otis Redding….
In 1966, Redding was visiting FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama when studio owner Rick Hall requested Redding help them with an upcoming session. Wilson Pickett was to record “You Left the Water Running,” and Hall wished for Redding to record a demo to assist with the production. A simple recording was made and Redding made some overdub additions, and Pickett made his recording similar to Redding’s version.
Ten years later, (music journalist Dave) Marsh was mailed a promo copy of “You Left the Water Running” by Otis Redding on Stone Records….
Marsh was fascinated by the song, and mentioned the new single to several friends, including his attorney, who also happened to represent the Otis Redding estate. He soon found out that Stone Records had not obtained the Redding family’s permission to release the long lost demo recording, and demanded the single be pulled from circulation.
When Marsh asked the label’s distributor what was to become of the single, he was informed that they were to be destroyed. Instead, Marsh purchased the copies that remained, and gave them out as gifts, with the attorney’s permission. As a result,the single (Stone 209) is now highly valuable.
(Westport connection: 1961 Staples High School graduate Charlie Taylor — a talented singer/songwriter, and frequent “06880” commenter — is a longtime friend of Dan Penn.)
(Don’t leave the water running! And don’t forget to support “06880,” your hyper-local blog. Just click here. Thank you!)
Comments Off on Roundup: Betty Lou Cummings’ 90th, 5 M’s Music, Big Y …
Posted onOctober 2, 2023|Comments Off on “06880” Podcast: Richard Wiese
Richard Wiese has traveled to all 7 continents. He’s tagged jaguars in the Yucatan, achieved the first ascent of an unclimbed Alaskan mountain, discovered 29 new life forms on Mt. Kilimanjaro, and cross-country skied to the North Pole.
Not surprisingly, he’s a 2-time president of the international Explorers Club. And he was host and executive producer of “Born to Explore,” the PBS and ABC-TV series, which was produced right here on Main Street.
The other day, he traveled all the way from his Weston home to the Westport Library, for an “06880” podcast. We explored everything, from where he’s gone, why he goes there, what’s the allure of adventure travel (a good friend was one of the 5 people lost in the Titan submersible tragedy this summer), and the “hidden gems” of our own towns.
They spend all their time playing video games, checking social media, and …
… fishing.
Richard Wiese sees them all over the place. Compo Beach, Ford Road, the Saugatuck Reservoir — in large groups and small, even alone — teens and tweens are spending time (lots of time) enjoying one of mankind’s oldest activities.
Fishing at Compo Beach. (Photo/Richard Wiese)
Richard has a dog in the hunt. The longtime Weston resident — a former president of The Explorers Club, and host and executive producer of the Emmy-winning “Born to Explore” — grew up fishing at Stony Brook Harbor and on the Nissequogue River, just across Long Island Sound from here.
But when he took his young sons Alex and Ricky out on a boat, they quickly grew bored.
Then came COVID.
The pandemic was “an inflection point,” Richard says.
Stuck inside not of their own volition, starved for contact with friends — but warned by parents about doing anything in close proximity with them — his twin sons began hiking and biking.
And fishing.
For Richard — who grew up “doing actual outdoor activities” — it was a joy to see.
Particularly since his 2 boys were among the most avid young fishermen.
Richard Wiese and his sons.
It happened organically. Kids were discovering the lure of fishing on their own.
And though they thought they were just having fun, Richard knew they were gaining life skills.
Every hour spent fishing — not on a phone — teaches “patience and perseverance.”
When they fish, youngsters who are hyper or anxious grow calm. “It’s almost like Zen meditation,” Richard says. Then they focus, for far longer than on other activities.
Richard iese’s son, at the Saugatuck Reservoir … (Photo/Richard Wiese)
Fishing represents “optimism and hope. There’s always the promise of catching something — maybe even the big one.”
There’s also a connection with nature. That’s especially important, Richard says, for young people who spend far more time indoors than previous generations.
And — go figure — fishing is educational too.
Richard’s sons and his friends discuss water temperature, the right weight line to use, the best way to cast, the biology of the river, the weather, the birds nearby.
“Fishing is all about problem-solving,” Richard notes.
Not to mention responsibility. The same teenagers who throw their stuff everywhere, all over the house, learn quickly that if they do that with their fishing gear, they’ll spend way too much time later untangling lines.
“Every day is Earth Day” to fishermen, Richard says. His sons have learned the importance of keeping rivers, reservoirs and Long Island Sound clean and healthy.
Just a few years ago, the only folks fishing on Ford Road were men in their 50s and older. They’ve been joined by teenage boys — and Richard’s 14-year-old daughter Sabrina.
… and in the Saugatuck River, at Ford Road. (Photo/Richard Wiese)
The Wieses did not fish here over spring break. They were in South Africa.
But Alex and Ricky were less interested in a safari than in fishing. “We’d pass a pond, and they’d ask what was in it,” Richard says. “They talk about fishing incessantly.”
Except when they don’t.
Fishing is great for sitting quietly, next to friends.
But as Opie Taylor-ish as fishing seems, Alex, Ricky and their friends are still 2023 teenagers.
They have not given up their devices completely.
Yet these days when they’re on their phones, they’re likely to be checking out their Fishbrain app.
It’s where they find tips, tools, forecasts, tide charts and more.
And where they feel part of the worldwide fishing community. The app is filled with photos.
The young local fishermen learned quickly how to show off their catches.
“They hold them way out in front of the camera,” Richard says. “Every one looks monstrous.”
It’s a big one! (Photo/Richard Wiese)
(“06880” is filled with fish stories — and more. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
A favorite Wiese fishing hole. (Photo/Richard Wiese)
The death of Michael Collins this week brought new appreciation for the “third man” of Apollo 11. The Air Force colonel who piloted the spacecraft Columbia 60 miles high while fellow astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon was remembered for his unique role, his grace and kindness, and the eloquence with which he described his singular mission.
News of Collins’ death brought warm memories for Richard Wiese.
The Weston resident — whose Westport-based “Born to Explore” television programs have won many Emmy and other awards — served 2 stints as president of the Explorers Club. Since 1904 the New York organization has promoted scientific exploration of land, sea, air and space. Club members have been first to the North Pole, South Pole, the summit of Mount Everest, the deepest point in the ocean, and (you guessed it) the surface of the moon.
In 2019, Wiese wanted the Explorers Club to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 in a memorable way. Armstrong died in 2012, but he assembled 8 astronauts from various Apollo missions, and several shuttle astronauts, including Katherine Sullivan — the first woman to walk in space.
The night before the big event with 1,500 guests, Wiese hosted a small dinner for those explorers and a few family members. He knew a few of them, but had never met Collins.
From left: Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9), Ann Passer (former Explorer Club vice president), Michael Collins, Richard Wiese, Fred Haise (Apollo 13). (Photo/Felix Kunze)
The Columbia commander, a widower, brought 2 daughters. (Kate Collins is an actress best known for “All My Children.”)
“They all talked shop,” Wiese recalls. “Being a fly on the wall was sensational.”
After dinner they headed to the Explorers Club headquarters, for a new members’ reception. It was held in the newly renovated “Apollo Room.”
“When those 8 Apollo astronauts walked in, the seas parted,” Wiese says. “In the pantheon of explorers, they were it.”
Dedication of the Apollo room at Explorers Club headquarters. Michael Collins is 2nd from right; Richard Wiese is to the left.
He recalls Collins as “easy-going, gentle, a beautiful soul.” He told Wiese, “Everyone always says I was the lonely guy up there in space. I was fine. I wasn’t worried about myself. I just worried that if something happened to them, I’d have to return alone.”
“Five hundred years from now, when the 20th century is long gone, people will still remember the first time we left earth to walk on a celestial body,” Wiese says. “Michael Collins was a huge part of that.”
After he returned, Wiese adds, “He had a wonderful life. It was definitely well lived.”
8 Apollo astronauts gathered for an Explorers Club discussion.
As for Wiese: He’s traveled the world, exploring the land and sea. The Brown University graduate has cross country skied to the North Pole and lived with pygmies in Uganda and aboriginals in Australia; he even helped discover 202 forms of new life in the 1st microbial survey of Central Park. When he was 11 years old, Wiese climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with his father.
Yet even before that, he dreamed of space.
In 1969, a week before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon — and Michael Collins flew above it — Wiese turned 10 years old. He had just gotten a telescope.
“I looked at the moon, hoping to see them on it,” he remembers. “I never, ever imagined that one day I’d be able to meet men who went there.”
Astronauts met with the children and grandchildren of Explorers Club members. Michael Collins is nearest to them. The last of the 12 men to have walked on the moon returned to earth decades before these youngsters were born.
Richard Wiese has spent his career bridging cultural gaps.
Traveling to all 7 continents, he’s tagged jaguars in the Yucatan jungles, led expeditions to the Northern Territory of Australia, joined the largest medical expedition ever conducted on Mt. Everest, discovered 29 new life forms on Mt. Kilimanjaro, and cross-country skied to the North Pole.
The Weston resident is host and executive producer of “Born to Explore,” the award-winning PBS television series produced on Main Street. He’s also in his 3rd term as president of the Explorers Club, a 116-year-old international organization dedicated to the 4 corners of the earth — plus oceans and outer space.
Richard Wiese in Borneo, with a wild orangutan.
Yet on Tuesday, Wiese created an important cross-cultural connection with just one person: the woman sitting next to him on a plane, stuck on the tarmac in Oslo.
Via Bangladesh.
The woman was brought on the Norwegian Air flight in a wheelchair. When she was seated, a flight attendant spoke to her in English. It was clear to Wiese that no matter how slowly she talked, his seatmate did not understand a word.
The woman fumbled with her phone. Wiese was able to figure out she was from Bangladesh.
He typed, “Can I help you?” — and then used Google Translate to ask the question in Bengali.
Flying the friendly skies: Richard Wiese and his seatmate.
The woman wanted her son to know she was on the flight, as they waited out a delay.
Wiese contacted her son — in Bangladesh.
Weise then learned she was lactose-intolerant. “That was an unusual translation,” he says. He told a flight attendant, who found a special meal for her.
Wiese texted the woman’s son when they landed, and made sure she got off the plane okay.
A screenshot of Richard’s texts.
“JFK is not the friendliest place in the world,” he notes. It was nice she had someone who cared — even if he “spoke” Bengali only with a smartphone.
“It felt good to help someone,” Wiese adds. “It was as easy for me to do that as it was to answer emails. And it’s nice to know you can use your phone for something other than that, and games.”
Carla Marina Marchese is a beekeeper and honey connoisseur. She’s got a Weston farm, sells honey in Westport, and founded Red Bee honey and an accompanying blog.
The other day, she wrote:
Today is National Honeybee Day. But we’re not celebrating.
A thriving colony of bees in our apiary mysteriously perished without explanation. The incident is suspicious, and particularly disturbing because 2 days earlier this colony was alive and active. Since my apiary is just outside my honey house I can view the bees and their activity easily without going outside. In my 18 years of keeping honeybees, I have never had a colony of bees wiped out instantaneously.
Less than one week earlier, I was thrilled to be in my apiary with Richard Wiese. He lives in Weston, has an office in Westport, and is the host of “Weekends with Yankee.”
He was filming an episode for PBS that would feature Red Bee Apiary nationally. This was an incredible opportunity to showcase the importance of honeybees and their pollination activities, as well as the honey-making process.
Carla Marina Marchese and Richard Wiese, at Red Bee apiary.
We spent a glorious morning among the bees. We spotted the queens, watched as worker bees performed their ritual dances, and tasted fresh honey being made right before our eyes. Everything about honeybees is mesmerizing.
Although one got under Richard’s bee suit, it added to the true experience and the magic of honeybees.
On the Wednesday after filming, I took a walk over to the hives. I was alarmed to see a pile of dead bees cluttering the entrance board. More dead bees had poured like a waterfall onto the grass in front of the hive.
I desperately ripped off the outer cover to look inside: a massive graveyard. I felt nauseated and destroyed. How could this happen? Thousands upon thousands of honeybees, silenced all at one time.
Bee graveyard
My gut tells me they were exposed to nearby pesticide treatment. What if it was a neighbor spraying for weeds? Or the power company spraying to prevent growth along their power lines? The town very well could have been spraying for mosquitoes or ticks again.
Right now I do not have answers. I have contacted our state bee inspector to take a look, and will send samples of bees to the lab for evaluation.
Once I have answers, I will share them. There has been an overwhelming interest in the plight of honeybees and the use of pesticides in our environment. I posted pictures on Red Bee Honey’s Facebook page, and it went viral.
It is heartening to see the outpouring of concern. Now more than ever we must fight to save the bees.
Traveling to all 7 continents, he’s tagged jaguars in the Yucatan jungles, led expeditions to the Northern Territory of Australia, and joined the largest medical expedition ever conducted on Mt. Everest.
He achieved the first ascent of an unclimbed mountain in Alaska, discovered 29 new life forms on Mt. Kilimanjaro, and cross-country skied to the North Pole.
“Born to Explore” is also the name of the award-winning PBS television series, which also aired on ABC for 5 seasons. It’s produced on Main Street in Westport — and Wiese, a Weston resident, is host and executive producer.
Richard Wiese in Borneo, with a wild orangutan.
The Explorers Club is right up Wiese’s alley. Since 1904 the New York-based organization has promoted scientific exploration of land, sea, air and space. Club members have been first to the North Pole, South Pole, the summit of Mount Everest, the deepest point in the ocean, and the surface of the moon.
So it’s natural that Wiese was elected 44th president of the Explorers Club.
It’s his second stint at the helm. He also served from 2002 to 2006.
“In my lifetime, science and nature have never been more under siege,” Wiese says.
“Our world needs scientists and explorers more than ever before. I am proud to say that since 1904, the Explorers Club has stood for innovation, conservation and the value of different cultures. Our members make a difference, and I am honored to serve as its next president.”
Wiese’s honors include an Emmy, a Genesis Award, an AP Folio Award, and the Walter Cronkite Award for contributions to journalism and exploration.
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
